So after I am done playing with bugs and other various critters I finish setting camp and hang my bear bag:)

As the night went on I noticed that the moths were magically drawn to my Leki poles:

So after the fun and excitement I crash out and call it a night.

Sunday morning was beautiful. I made my way out of the Rt31 shelter area and back to the trail:

Along the way I found the perfect companion to pace myself with:

Everything is just so green up here. Alot different from when I was up here in February:

The Trailspace hat wanted a pic on the mile marker:

Then Big Blue wanted one of his naps so the Trailspace hat & the Leki poles decided it was a good time to join in for an early afternoon siesta:

I then made my way through Seven Springs ski resort:

Decided to take a "flower power" pic along the way:

As I was making my way to Grindle Ridge shelter area there is a shooting range close to the trail.

These signs were up for the LHHT Ultra race:

I make my way trough the barrage of gun fire to Grindle Ridge and set up camp around 2pm:

Nothing really exciting this evening. The weather was beautiful. I pulled out my pad and just laid there relaxing for the rest of the afternoon well into evening.

As you notice in the above pic I have the Hille fully guyed out. There is a reason for this.

At around 9pm the weather did a complete 180 for the worst. I spent the rest of the evening pinned down in my tent with alot of rain and high winds.

So I woke up in the morning(Monday/day 3) and the rain was still coming down in buckets. The Hille passed this test w/o a hitch.

I have to say that ventilation was very good in this shelter for this type of weather(temps at night was in the mid to low 50s.)

...the next morning...

I then waited for a window in the weather so I could get packed up and on my way.

I pulled the inner out of the Soulo so I could pack the inner separately from the rest of the wet tent plus this gave me a larger area to get my gear packed while still being protected from the elements(this is one of the many reasons I am so fond of using a footprint:)

(welcome to "Camp Catastrophe." Where the storm outside your tent is minor in comparison to the storm going on inside.)

As I am packing I decide its time for some oatmeal and go-go juice:

All of a sudden I see sun... Huh? What is this? Better get packed up. I know this isn't going to be around very long:

No sooner then I get back on the trail the thunder, wind, and rain kicks back up. Go figure.

Singing in the rain(Gene Kelly would be proud:)

After about 3 miles of tromping in yet another wash-out the weather clears.

I then make my way through an area that has various rock slots:

As I make my way passed the vista over-looking Middle Fork I once again hear thunder, the winds are kicking up, and the sky is dark.

(I just knew the sun wouldn't last lol:)

I then make my way to Rt653 to get picked up.

And so it ends...

Over-all it was a great trip. Very nice weather in the beginning and not so nice weather towards the end.

"Started sunny, ended soggy."

I gotta say; I have an odd appreciation for hiking in the rain during the warmer seasons.

As always I found myself somewhat saddened when it all came to an end and look forward to the next time I will get back out there(which will be soon.)

"I make my way through the barrage of gunfire", LOL. Wow, sounds like quite a trip! :) Anyway it sounds like you had a good trip in spite of the weather. Or maybe the weather was a good thing to justify carrying the bomb shelter, aka Hille! :)

I usually unhook my Hilleberg into two separate pieces but only on the morning of the last day of a trip---to make drying and storage easier when I get home. Rarely if ever do I unhook the two just to keep the wet fly from soaking a dry inner. They both end up getting wet faster but hooking/unhooking every day (when wet) is a big pain in the buttocks.

Great to see your ailments are healing and letting you hit the trail again, Rick!

I think it is safe to assume from feeling that the knee is back to 100%(or pretty close to it.) I am once again off to the races as far as upcoming trips go...

Nice trip, I actually like being out in "adverse" weather as well (to a degree, of course, Lol!)

It does have its benefits. Things are so much different when the rain and wind is blowing across the ridge. I passed an older gentleman on the trail w/his grandson who was working on a merit badge for scouts. Very nice guy.

I chatted w/them for around 30min or so. I always love to see the younger ones out on the trail.

The area with the rock slots is so cool. I love places like that.

The LHHT has a plethora of those type of areas. Gotta watch, some are kinda narrow and will wreak havoc on pack side pockets if ya don't pay attention.

I really like red spotted newts, they are just fantastic little buggers. You'll wan't to wash your hands after handling one of those as well, they also release a poison from their skin!

I was aware of that. Totally forgot to mention it though. Thanks for pointing that out for others. The whole "brightly colored" thing.

Ya most def need to get the Spur out.....and soon. Everytime I get near where mine is stored I can hear it whinning. Poor thing wants out so badly...

Yeah, I gotta get it out there soon. I kinda feel like I truly am neglecting it. If I don't get the use out of I I should I may just end up snagging up a new fly and putting a for sale sign on it so someone else can enjoy it.

I dunno. I am kinda leaning toward getting 2 more tents. A larger 3 season and a larger 4 season...

Nothing certain yet but we shall see... I may even keep it. I just don't see the sense of it sitting around when someone else could be enjoying it.